The Creatures that We Are

Qilin controlled Dead Pig with Psychic Shackles while directing Phantom to bind Wang Zikai with shadow threads. In this state, he couldn't risk using Brain Formatting. Moreover, Wang Zikai had already endured the attack once, giving him a certain resistance.

Qilin wouldn't waste energy on an attempt with a less than forty percent chance of success. He made his decision instantly. His prosthetic left arm detached, replaced by an eerie skeletal limb covered in strange red spots. His right arm doubled in thickness as he perfectly combined Bone Growth, Patient, and Arm Strength.

Wang Zikai's bone stings were indestructible, but his body wasn't invincible. Bones created through Bone Growth could harm him. If Qilin could pierce his skin with the skeletal hand and inject the Patient virus, Wang Zikai would weaken until he could no longer fight.

Before Qilin could raise his right hand to execute his plan, a crushing pressure descended from above. His instincts screamed danger, leaving no time to look up. He retracted all his unleashed energy, channeling it into explosive power and enhanced reaction speed through Muscles. Boosting himself with Telekinesis, he leaped more than ten meters sideways.

The moment he cleared the area, War Tiger descended. Blood covered his twisted face as he brought down his Dragonslaying Giantsword. The blade carved a long arc of aura through the air—from a distance, it appeared as if War Tiger wielded a tremendous gray-blue wave.

Bam!

The greatsword struck with its wave of power, splitting the ground with a massive crack. The entire Green Lotus Lake was divided in two as a deep chasm formed, triggering a localized earthquake. The tremors rippled outward like invisible waves, assaulting everyone's energy pathways with varying degrees of force.

Although Qilin had jumped into the air, his proximity to the strike still resulted in twenty percent of his energy pathways shattering. A belated realization struck him: he was fortunate to have dodged rather than attempted to counter or interrupt War Tiger with Eidos. War Tiger had clearly made an all-out attack in his dying state with Killing Expert, aiming to end the battle in one move.

This hadn't been merely a dramatic entrance from above. War Tiger had hoped that if Qilin interrupted him with Eidos, the tremendous inertia would complete the attack anyway. Like a bullet already fired, it would have been too late to drop the gun. The attack would have shattered all of Qilin's energy pathways, ensuring instant death—possibly without leaving an intact body.

Standing before the chasm of his making, War Tiger let go of his sword and dropped to one knee, throwing up a mouthful of blood. “Fuck…I lost the gamble again…”

With his remaining energy, he extracted the dagger from his chest and administered a shot. Then he collapsed quietly, consciousness fading. It would take at least a minute before he could stand again.

And Wang Zikai had been rescued. Gao Yang had grabbed him with Teleportation before War Tiger’s attack struck. Or even Wang Zikai might have perished from the powerful swing.

[Nine Frost: Strike together! Create an opening!]

Growl. Freed from Psychic Shackles' restraint, Dead Pig charged toward Qilin, its twin fangs wreathed in swirling white energy.

Qilin quietly assessed his disrupted and damaged energy pathways. The exchange had taken a genuine toll on him.

The Golden Armor made Dead Pig nearly impossible to kill or control quickly, yet Qilin couldn't ignore him. The man was like an enormous piece of chewing gum, stubbornly stuck to Qilin's side.

Qilin observed Wang Zikai, Qing Ling, Gao Yang, and Heavenly Dog approaching, with more opponents waiting to strike from a distance. There were too many to count.

Changing tactics, Qilin activated Patient. The skeletal hand attached to his left arm melted into black liquid, vaporizing instantly. Like a smoke grenade, it spread into a vast cloud of poisonous fog, concealing him within.

The attackers halted their advance.

[Nine Frost: Nainai!]

[Nainai: Hmph! This Empress is waiting!]

“Gale Power!” Nainai raised her hands from up in the air, summoning a hurricane to disperse the poisonous fog.

Qilin frowned at the source of the wind and used Statues for half a second. Those in its path froze physically and mentally, their Talents interrupted. He deactivated Statues, dashed forward, and leaped close to Nainai, casting his illusion from point-blank range.

Nainai was caught mid-flight.

The world froze around her. Everyone else melted away like bubbles in water, dissolving until only Nainai and Qilin remained. Crimson mountain ranges erupted beneath Nainai, launching her skyward. A terrible mountain of skeletons lifted Qilin above the clouds.

Soon, they both hovered above an ocean of red clouds. Above them, stars twisted and rotated unnaturally, like a night sky painted by a deranged artist.

Qilin shouted at Nainai across the sea of clouds. “Heavenly Way incarnate, Leader of All Monsters, Maker of Rules, Weaver of Fate, the only descendent of the Creator Witch and the First Fallen Angel, Your Majesty the Thorn Empress, Nai. Today will be the day of your death!”

“Hahahaha!” Nainai was pleased with the address. “You little man dare to corrupt my land and hurt my subjects? You think you can challenge this Empress by selling your soul to the devil and signing a contract with the darkness? Don’t make me laugh!”

“Stop your blabbering! Come on!” Qilin shouted. “Paper! Scissors! Stone…”

Nainai found herself shouting the moves as well. Wait, why is this Empress playing rock paper scissors with him?

Though she sensed something amiss, she couldn't stop her hand from extending.

Boom! Golden light surged behind them. The halo behind Qilin transformed into a red blazing sun, representing stone, while Nainai's became two crossed crescent moons, representing scissors.

“No!!!”

Nainai cried out as the scissors behind her shattered into scattering shards of moonlight.

Rumble. The crimson ranges beneath her feet crumbled. She plummeted into the bottomless pit, limbs splayed, frustration etched on her face.

“Hahahaha!” Qilin’s dramatic laughter haunted her descent. “Honor the bet! From now on, you cannot use any of your Talents until the end of the battle!”

…

[Nine Frost: Nainai!]

“Ah!” Nainai jerked awake. Only two seconds had passed. In that brief span, she had experienced a grand illusion and fallen prey to the Gambler hidden within, losing a game of rock paper scissors to Qilin.

Still hovering in the air, Nainai watched her teammates engaged in intense combat below. She wanted to join them, but couldn't. The very thought dissolved as soon as it formed.

[Nainai: This Empress, this Empress’ divine power is sealed!]

[Nine Frost: You’re most likely hit by Gambler.]

[Nainai: Ah…this Empress played rock paper scissors with Qilin! That despicable outsider!]

[Nine Frost: Hide well. Leave the rest to us.]

Houseau3's Thoughts

Well, the illusion sure is very Nainai😂

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